Southampton turns down big offer from top European club just hours before Championship season starts
Southampton have reportedly turned down a £17 million offer from Benfica for one of their important players ahead of the Saints’ Championship opener against Watford.
Southampton will head to Vicarage Road to face Watford on Sunday, August 16. This comes just a few months after they were kicked out of the play-offs for spying on several opponents.
Despite the drama, head coach Tonda Eckhert is determined to make up for last season and help the team get promoted to the Premier League this time.
The South Coast club has added some talented players, including Lewis Dobbin, who joined from Aston Villa after making a mark on loan at Preston North End last season. Cyle Larin has also made his loan move permanent after a strong second half of the 2025/26 season at St Mary’s. Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz came in from Bayern Munich, and Divin Mubama joined on loan from Manchester City, having played in the Championship last season with Stoke City.
Eckhert will especially be hoping to keep hold of his captain, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who at 24 years old, has caught the eye of European clubs. According to talkSPORT, Southampton rejected a £17 million bid from Benfica for Harwood-Bellis, valuing him at about £30 million. The player might be interested in moving if all sides can agree on a deal.
Other clubs are also watching closely—Premier League side Coventry City and Championship club West Ham United are big fans of Harwood-Bellis. Southampton signed him from Manchester City for £20 million in 2024 after a successful loan in 2023. He played 48 games last season and is contracted until 2028.
Speaking this week, Eckhert talked about the transfer rumors. “He is exactly the same and was the same in training today,” he said. “Every transfer window has moments like this, not just with Taylor but with a few players who did really well last year, so some interest is normal. I expect more names to come up in the coming weeks, but I can say that the boys are focused. We had a good meeting this morning preparing for the game, and the training looked sharp and ready.”